– As UCH doctor, 2 others emerge winners of Rising Stars Contest
The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Prof. Moji Adeyeye; and President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Prof. Cyril Usifoh, have urged players in the Nigerian pharmaceutical sector to comply and adhere strictly to the global standard in the manufacturing of quality medications for Nigerians.
The two bigwigs in the health sector gave the charge during recent separate visits to the ultra-modern manufacturing plant of Shalina Healthcare, Nigeria, located at Isheri, Lagos.
In her speech, the NAFDAC boss commended the Shalina Team on the quality and cleanliness of the environment, advising same to be maintained towards attainment of WHO prequalification, stressing that it is all about quality and making sure that medicines are safe and efficacious.
“I am impressed with the neatness of the environment,” she said. “You may think that neatness is not part of the GMP, but it’s actually part of it. And I also like the quality of the manufacturing plant, the floor, the walls, warehouses and quarantine areas, because those are things that people think are innocuous, but they are not. So if you take care of those details, you will also take care of more important things.”
In his remarks during the visit, the PSN president attested to the giant strides of Shalina Healthcare, urging them not to rest on their oars. He added that the most important thing is the fact that they have taken up the production of some of their products here in Nigeria, and exporting to some other countries.
He said,“In the course of our moving around the factory, one thing that impressed me is the quality of work you have done in this place, the working environment and the standard of the equipment. I would like to advise other pharmaceutical companies to emulate Shalina, see what they have done and improve their facilities as well.”
Speaking further, Usifoh said the establishment of Shalina’s first local manufacturing plant in Africa is a win-win for the country, adding that it would create a job market for people, improve the economy, and improve the foreign exchange earnings for the country.
While expressing his pleasure in the visit, the Chief Commercial Officer, Shalina Healthcare West Africa, Mr. Arun Raj, assured the visitors that the organisation would continue to prioritise quality and improve in every area, adding that the journey began four decades ago in Africa, and 25 years ago in Nigeria, with a commitment to healthcare and a vision to make a positive impact on lives of people in Africa.
He further noted that the objective of the company is to provide brands and services of the utmost quality while ensuring their affordability, and easy availability for the people of Africa.
“Shalina is a market leader in making quality healthcare products and services affordable and available across Africa, and we achieve this by sourcing from WHO-approved production facilities in India and China and focusing on our first-class distribution expertise.”
In another development, the trio of Dr Lere Oluwadare of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan; Dr Josephine Onumaku of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State; and Dr Maryam Abdullahi of Amina Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano State, emerged the Grand Prize Winner, First Runner Up, and Second Runner Up of the keenly contested Shalina Rising Stars Awards Contest, winning cash prizes of one million naira, 500,000 naira and 300,000 naira respectively. The award is a major platform for medical professionals to showcase their clinical talents.
Speaking at the third edition of the event, held in Lagos recently at the NECA House, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Dr Oluwadare appreciated Shalina for coming up with the programme, adding that the concept is highly encouraging and a morale booster.
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